REGULATORY NEWS FOR WEEK OF APRIL 29, 2019

REGULATORY NEWS FOR WEEK OF APRIL 29, 2019

Canadian Federal News

Canada and more than 80 countries worldwide to remember those who died, were injured or became ill at work. The Day of Mourning offers workers and employers the opportunity to publicly renew their commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace. Find a ceremony to attend and read the stories of loved ones lost.

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has released the drafts of the update to safety standards CSA B620, CSA B621 and CSA B622 for a 60-day consultation period. Once the safety standards have been finalized and published, a notice will be issued specifying the coming into force date of the updated standards.

Alternatively, the TCCU is pilot testing a new online tool for the distribution and download of ECCRDs called GCcollab. Clients who are already subscribed as GCcollab members may log on to the TCCU’s page and download a copy from the “Chapter 23: Single Window Initiative” subdirectory.

Clients who haven’t yet subscribed to GCcollab and who would like to participate in the pilot test may do so by sending a request to the TCCU mailbox : TCCU-USTCC@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. Please indicate “GCcollab” in the subject line. The TCCU will then send you an official GCcollab invitation to join the group.

When a train carrying flammable liquids is involved in an incident, first responders are often the first on scene. These types of incidents are not typical for first responders. They require a unique approach.

This enactment amends the Food and Drugs Act to prohibit cosmetic animal testing and the sale of cosmetics developed or manufactured using cosmetic animal testing. It also provides that no evidence derived from animal testing may be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic.

Notice therefore is hereby given that the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health (the ministers) propose to take no further action on these substances at this time under section 77 of the Act.

This June, WCB Nova Scotia will replace its core operating systems, marking a major milestone in its modernization and overall business transformation. The outgoing systems are now more than 25 years old, and will be replaced by Guidewire, an industry-leading insurance software suite. With these changes, the WCB will improve services for workers, employers and service providers. Learn more about how these changes will impact you.

US News

EPA is proposing to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 8(a) Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) requirements and the TSCA section 8(a) size standards for small manufacturers. The current CDR rule requires manufacturers (including importers) of certain chemical substances listed on the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory (TSCA Inventory) to report data on chemical manufacturing, processing, and use every 4 years. EPA is proposing several changes to the CDR rule to make regulatory updates to align with new statutory requirements of TSCA, improve the CDR data collected as necessary to support the implementation of TSCA, and potentially reduce burden for certain CDR reporters. Proposed updates to the definition for small manufacturers, including a new definition for small governments, are being made in accordance with TSCA section 8(a)(3)(C) and impact certain reporting and recordkeeping requirements for TSCA section 8(a) rules, including CDR. The definitions may reduce burden on chemical manufacturers by increasing the number of manufacturers considered small. Overall, these regulatory modifications may better address EPA and public information needs by providing additional information that is currently not collected; improve the usability and reliability of the reported data; and ensure that data are available in a timely manner.

International News

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council approved a plan to consolidate the information currently contained in 114 NFPA Emergency Response and Responder Safety (ERRS) standards, guides, and recommended practices into 38 overarching standards. The move will not only provide emergency responders with easier access to well-rounded safety information, but also improve the standards development experience for more than 2,000 principle and alternative NFPA Technical Committee Members. The five-year NFPA ERRS standards consolidation project will begin in January 2020, with 20-25 standards being combined annually, in their proper cycle. Related standards will be merged into all-inclusive standards with existing documents becoming separate chapters.

What does the future hold? This year on 28 April, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work draws attention to the future of work and reminds us of the importance of ISO solutions in combating work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide.

“Food safety is a shared responsibility … and building strong partnerships … across the public and private sectors is essential,” said Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff in his closing speech to the International Forum on Food Safety and Trade on 24 April. He commended the meeting’s future-oriented focus on new technologies, trade facilitation and harmonized regulation and how these factors impact food safety. “You made a significant contribution to the process of international engagement … that will, I trust, not end here,” he told participants.

Other Relevant Information

Why it matters: Filmed like something from an episode of “Mythbusters,” this video shows what happens when a sledgehammer falls and hits a watermelon from heights of 20 and 30 feet. Then the video shows what happens when someone slaps a hard hat on the watermelon. If you’ve ever wondered if wearing a hard hat for safety is really all that important, you should watch the video.